Lee Products (USA) and London based Shadow Robot Co. are breaking new ground in advanced robotic systems. The systems developed by Shadow use 36 ’Air Muscles’, non-linear pneumatic actuators, otherwise known as rubbertuators, McKibben muscles, or braided pneumatic actuators, to simulate human hand movements. In total 72 face-mount HDI ultra-compact size valves from Lee Products were used inside the forearm of the robotic arm because of the need for the valves to be located as close as possible to the robotic muscles. The design of these valves enables Shadow to pack 72 valves into 1/30th of the space required by other valves. The valves can be supplied in 5 and 12V options and have a flow capacity of 6 sl/min and a pressure range of 0-15 lb/in2g.
